Testers doubted a board with a rocker-dominant profile, only offered in a 153, could meet the demands of a place like Snowbird—let alone wherever the hell Travis would take it. Well, after a week of rigorous riding that culminated in one rider successfully sending it off a sketchy, 30-something-foot drop, it was safe to say it's a killer little whale of a deck. While not the most versatile board tested, the Orca's wide waist provides plenty of float in a small package. "While the Orca looks like a small fish," said one tester, "It's actually a big-mountain killer." It's a predator that yearns to dive through tight spaces but can cut loose in the open frozen waters when given the opportunity.

Board Specs & Features:

Length (cm) – Waist Width (cm)

153 — 26.7

Flex: 6.5/10

Camber: C2X

Base: Sintered

Shape: Directional Notch Swallow

(Flex is not standardized and differs by brand. The rating here is the best estimate of the board’s flex.)

Testers Said: "While the Orca looks like a small fish, it's actually a big-mountain killer."

Buying a new snowboard shouldn't be an arduous task. But with hundreds of options to choose from, narrowing down options can be an overwhelming process. The internal struggle boils down to the reality that these things aren't cheap. With that in mind, Good Wood's intent has always been to best serve you in your quest to purchase the deck most deserving of your money. This season, our diverse crew of testers returned to the steeps of Snowbird, Utah for the all-mountain category and the progressive features of Carinthia at Mount Snow, Vermont for the park division. In the end, we came back with a collection of boards that are worthy of TransWorld's esteemed Good Wood stamp of approval.

How The Boards Are Scored

Shortly after ripping laps on each model, our testers score the board based on a comprehensive set of characteristics that include edgehold, pop, swingweight, turn initiation, stability, and flex. The scorecards for the park and all-mountain categories of the test each have unique and specific criteria designed to pinpoint the strengths and weakness of a snowboard in the setting respective to its category. Beyond the quantifiable scoring, we also ask testers to comments on each facet of the board’s performance. These notes we refer to extensively when writing each review. Dive into the results and see what performed for our testers, then find what will work for you.